Demon Adoration
by Chantalina
Summary: Kagome lives in a world where demons are to be hated and killed no questions asked; however one day she slips off into the forest and is attacked by a demon only to be saved by a strange boy whom she later discovers to be a half demon! Little does she know danger awaits. Torn between choosing her parents wishes or her growing love for the boy who saved her life what will Kagome do?
1. Youkai

Kagome's long raven locks danced around her in the morning wind. She had snuck out of the house again as she often did. Her father as she knew would be furious if he ever found out, but she was convinced that would never happen.

This particular morning the daylight had not yet come over the mountain top. Instead it was positioned behind the mountain, a wide array or colors protruded into the heavens. It was a mixture of pinks, oranges and near to purple colors. Not a cloud lay in the stilled sky; the light breeze was pleasant in this warmer weather. Kagome had always thought this time of day was the loveliest, she engaged in watching the sky quite often. It fascinated her, as a creature of the wild would fascinate a young child.

She stared intently into the abyss of colors. Her eyes shone with delight. A smile broke across her features, bit-by-bit the sun rose higher. Once the fiery object hung high in the sky Kagome was forced to turn her eyes elsewhere. If she had not then the fierceness of the light would have surely left her blind.

She let out a broken sigh and began to make her journey back to the house in which her family inhabited. The house was humble; it would bore the average mind if you were to stare at it too long. And yet Kagome managed to find even her simple cottage interesting. People would often comment on how curious her wondering mind was. The details she managed to find in the tiniest of things frequently confused people.

She crept through the yard behind her house unnoticed and slipped into the tiny window that undoubtedly led into her bedroom. Before a soul in the house could know of her absence she snuck under the covers of her bed and lay still in wait. She had not done this a moment too soon, once under her covers she could hear the footsteps of her father wandering through the house. She could hear his voice as clear as day stirring the snoozing household.

She closed her eyes trying to appear asleep. It was then that her own bedroom door opened. The old hinges squeaked deafeningly.

"Kagome." His voice called, "Wake up now." And with that he left her to her lonesome.

Kagome knew better than anyone that failure to obey her father's wishes was foolish. She thought back to the time her cousin had come for a visit with her aunt. Her cousin was a dense fellow, he was twelve then. Kagome's father had told the dim-wit to stop his constant pestering on Kagome's infant brother Sota. When he had failed to obey her father gave him a lashing and put him in the pig-pen for an hour. It seemed like such a distant time ago to her now. She had been only four or five then, now she was a maturing young adult of thirteen.

She put the ill-minded thoughts aside and came around to getting up. As she descended from her room she could perceive her parents voices. They were arguing about some meaningless matter that Kagome found absolutely no interest in, until she heard the word youkai that is.

She had always had an unremitting curiosity when it came to the youkai. She knew next to nothing about them, but what she had heard made the wheels in her head spin at full capacity. She wanted to know more about the daunting creatures that supposedly wandered the woods.

Her childhood had been full of suspicious tales of the youkai. Many in which she did not believe. One in particular set her on edge though; it was about an inu youkai. The youkai apparently came in the night and it took on the form of a wounded dog. Children were tempted to help the creature but once they tried he would turn terrifying and snatch them away forever. It was said that he would take the children to a cave where he would devour them and there they would sit rotting in his belly.

Kagome doubted it was true but the thought still pondered in her mind. She waltzed through the kitchen; her parents were too deep in conversing to even notice her presence. She casually poured herself a cup of fresh cow's milk and sipped it while eavesdropping in on the conversation.

"If what you are saying is true then why have you not sent a party out to kill the wretched thing!?" Her mother demanded.

"If it were only that simple… This youkai can take on the appearance of a human being." Kagome's father drew the back of his hand across his forehead wiping the sweat from his brow.

Kagome's attention was caught immediately. It both exited and frightened her that there was a youkai on the loose, and even more so that it took on a humans form. She peered up from her mug to only see her parents eyes set on her. Her mother's eyebrows furrowed. She came forward and snatched the cup from Kagome's hands.

"Who said you could drink this?" She demanded shaking the cup with every word.

Kagome stayed reserved, she figured it was the clever thing to do.

Her mother sighed and set the cup down next to her child on the countertop. She turned back to her spouse.

"We shall continue talking later." She finished then began to scold Kagome.

After a good disciplining Kagome was released. Immediately she went outdoors, her father was already outside at the stables. He was packing a horse and getting ready for departure.

"Daddy why do you have to leave?" Kagome asked innocently hoping to get more answers about the youkai.

Her father let out a lengthy sigh, "I've got to go help some people, and it's my duty as the headsman." He explained, although he didn't say it Kagome could tell he was going to slaughter the youkai.

"Can I come with you?" She asked eagerly.

Her father only shook his head, "I'm sorry but it's too dangerous."

Kagome began to plead, "But I have been practicing my archery. I get the target every time!"

He extended his hand and put it on her petite head. "I know you're a good shot but I can't take you with me, besides you have your lessons. Remember what I told you about when you turn fifteen."

She nodded disappointedly. She knew all too well about her fifteenth birthday, it was when she would be married off to the headsman's son of the next village over. She had only met him once and thought him to be a fool. He was a shy and weak boy; Kagome could have easily made him cry with just a flick of her finger. She still did not understand fully why she needed to marry the imprudent prince, all she knew was it was an important honor. More of a burden in her mind though.

Alas she didn't argue further with her father. She watched him as he mounted the horse and ordered it into a gallop then he disappeared into the trees.

Kagome was one to get bored easily. She thought long and hard of something interesting to do but found no answer to her inconvenience. That is what caused her to conclude that a trip into the forest would liven the day. She knew it like she knew the back of her hand; she was forbidden to venture into the forest. That's where creatures lived that if they had the chance would devour a girl like her.

She walked casually to the edge of her household's estate. Her raven hair spread messily over her shoulders and her deep blue eyes searching the area for any persons. She pushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear and examined the property once more, nobody seemed around so she deemed herself safe.

She climbed over the fence quickly and somewhat effortlessly. Her feet touched the soft earth on the other side of the boundary. Without a second thought she began to walk deep into the brush. More than once had she came into the forest and she had never seen a creature that the tales depicted. She had never taken much thought to the situation if she really did run into one what she would do.

She continued on her stroll until she came to a creek, in order to cross it she would need to take her shoes off and she didn't quite feel like doing that right now. So she simply sat at the water's edge in a crouch position peering at the creek bed. She could see miniscule fish fighting their way against the feeble currant; a movement caught her eye to her right. She noticed a toad hopping without worry on its way. She watched it curiously taking in its exact moments and the color of its rutted brown skin.

She eventually got bored of the creak and finally gave in to the temptation of crossing it. She was careful not to step on any of the fish as she crossed. Her plain brown shoes in hand. She could feel the slimy rocks under her toes, she liked the feeling it wasn't a gross feeling like most girls her age would have thought.

Once she crossed the creak she continued to carry her shoes. She enjoyed the sensation of the ground below her feet. She continued into the forest all the while unaware that anything may be watching her. It had only been several minutes when she stopped in her tracks. She could have sworn that she had distinguished a shadow move… She tried to disregard the voice in her head notifying her it was a monster.

She was a modest amount on edge after the incident but still trudged forward. It seemed like ages before she emerged into the clearing. This clearing had been Kagome's favored place since the initial time she entered the forest. It was a majestic place, the sun always seemed to shine more brilliant here. It had the most comfortable and dazzling green grass that littered the area. Numerous types of flowers grew in patches coming in all sorts of intense colors. Kagome was most fond of the aweing pink lilies that grew next to the river. A large tree also grew in the center of the clearing; at this time of year stunning magenta blossoms occupied the branches. With what she knew about trees the immense size and stature of the tree deciphered the tree was ancient. She would often rest under the great tree. It was a unique and utterly peaceful place.

Today she seated herself beneath it like any other day. She leaned back on the trunk, her head positioned on the smooth yet rough surface of the bark. She closed her eyes letting herself gain the sense of purity and tranquility. Suddenly she got the impression something was debauched. The area seemed abruptly adverse. She got out of her comfortable position and stood on her bare feet. A light wind blew her hair back. She scanned the area for anything out of the norm.

In return she came up empty-handed. There was no sign of any dangers present, although the sky seemed to have eeriness about it. She took a step forward then another, when no disturbances materialized she turned around to cozy herself back against the tree. Before she had the chance the ground beneath her quaked. She let out a surprised yelp. She was about to attempt a get-away when a slithery body coiled around her.

Legs protruded from the sides of the slithery body, the physique reminded Kagome of an insect. She struggled against its tight grasp on her. Her raven hair flew around wildly as she thrashed her body in a feeble attempt of escape. Before her eyes Kagome saw a human-like form rise up, from the waist down its body was the slithery form restraining her. Its head tipped up to resemble that of a woman; she was in a state of undress and had lengthy black hair. Kagome's eyes also took not in the fact that this woman, this creature had six arms.

The creature unexpectedly spoke. "My, my what's a young girl doing so far into the forest?"

Kagome's eyes widened in horror, she had now realized just what this monster was. It was the thing that fascinated her most, it was a youkai! Kagome screamed in horror at the realization of the situation. It was just as the stories had depicted, she was going to be eaten alive and rot in this youkai's belly.

The youkai's mouth stretched inhumanly long, a pair of extended fangs flourished. Her eyes widened in a mad fashion. Kagome opened her mouth and screamed as loud as she had ever before. Tears made trails down her face as she sobbed. She came to realize she should have never ventured into the woods; she should have stayed home and engaged in childish games with her younger brother. If only she had heeded her parents warnings.

Through her teary eyes Kagome was flabbergasted to see a stone delivered from nowhere hit the youkai in the side of her pale face. She let out a pained hiss and her head turned franticly in all directions trying to find the source. A second stone whizzed through the air and smacked her yet again. The agitation was maturing in the youkai's terrifying features.

Her grip loosened on Kagome. She more or less crawled along the ground; her additional legs advanced her along. Kagome's sanity was returning, she began to deliberate a plan in her mind. The youkai was distracted, her slithery body continued to move and her taciturn eyes sought for the menace. Kagome wrestled against the grip on her, she succeeded in releasing one of her arms from the sinewy body.

She commenced to pull herself from the capturer. Using her hand to push her frame upwards. She did so and achieved to follow through with the plan. As she attempted to swing her legs out, the grip constricted and her legs were ensnared. She kicked her legs desperately.

"Trying to get away are we?" The youkai hissed turning her attention back to the belligerent girl.

Kagome's features turned apprehensive as she tried to further get away from the youkai. Rapidly Kagome seized a flash of red in her eye then to her amazement a boy was violently beating the youkai with a large stone. He had one arm wrapped around its lean neck while the other was crashing the stone against its cranium.

The youkai brutally flailed its head in all directions releasing animalistic cries of pain. The boy raised his hand for a final time delivering the deathly blow. The youkai's slither body suddenly fell flaccid. Kagome tumbled back from the weight of its long snake-like frame collapsing onto her. She shoved the substantial body from her but unsucceeded miserably. She turned her features to the sound of footsteps paddling along the grass. The boy came into view his face was smeared with the youkai's ghastly blood. Kagome blinked at him, he was an extraordinary looking character. His features could only be described as exotic; his hair was a glimmering silver. And his eyes were like liquid gold. His lips were slightly parted and he bore a scowl. He looked at her furiously the hate in his eyes evident.

Kagome gazed at him vexed. She questioned his actions deliberating exactly what he was going to do to her. His eyes became a tad softer. Then without warning he effortlessly lifted the snaky corpse off of her, Kagome scrambled out from below it. He released it and it plummeted back to the ground with a 'thud'.

Kagome clambered to her unsteady feet. The weather was still dim; the clouds concealed the sun's rays of light. The pair sat in an uncomfortable silence, the boy continued to stare at her heated. Suddenly a boom of thunder was perceived in the distance. Kagome's attention was turned to the grey sky. A single drop of water dropped and hit her on the cheek developing down it and dwindling off her chin.

She gazed back at the boy but he had seemingly disappeared. The rain began to fall delicately. Kagome covered herself as much as she could; the white dress she wore posed little protection from the elements. She started the treacherous journey back home but not before fetching her shoes.

It took her nearly a half an hour to make it back to the creek. By then the rain had begun to fall more heavily. The creek was much broader and a tad deeper than before. It took more effort to cross it; the water was a dirty brown from the stirred dirt which in turn stained the end of her dress. She continued on though and eventually made it back to the boundary between her home and the forest.

She carted herself over the fence. When she made it to the other side she bounded and didn't land so great. Her ankle was now aching from the landing; her dress was tattered and dirty. Her hair was a muddled pig-sty and she was outright exhausted!

She made her way towards the cottage. Her mother and brother had been happily lazing about when the muddy, sore and poor excuse for a teenage girl came inside. Her mother immediately scolded her for being gone so long and told her to stand in the rain for ten minutes until all the filth was washed away. She did as she was told, of course she did she knew better.

When she came back inside she was shivering, to her great relief her mother had prepared a bath for her. Kagome went into the diminutive room that housed the bath; she peeled her soaking clothes from her cold body. At first when she sunk into the steaming water it bit at her skin and burned. Eventually her icy temperature diminished and she soaked in the warm water, she let her head fall back and cleansed her raven hair of the grime that had previously plagued it.

As she soaked she couldn't help but recall the peculiar boy she had seen in the forest. The image of his unique silver hair and molten gold eyes ate away at her. She educed how for some strange reason she could have sworn she had seen two dog ears jutting from his skull. She chuckled to herself. That couldn't be true; it would have meant the boy was a youkai. And youkai didn't assist humans; no they devoured and wreaked havoc on them.

She became lost in thought. She wondered who the boy was; he couldn't have been more than a year older than her maybe he was younger? She didn't know. Her final thoughts of the boy concluded with her coming to the decision that she wanted to know more about this odd boy and that she would surly go back into the forest tomorrow. She would try to find him again and with luck know more about him. She made a silent promise she would do it tomorrow for sure…

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	2. The Boy in the Clearing

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_K__agome sprinted through the trees; the branches of bushes scraped her bare legs. Alas she paid no heed to the discomfort and continued to dash. She came to a sudden standstill. Her fascinating blue eyes scanned the area for something unknown to the teen. Her eyes widened at the realization of where she now found herself. She was in her beloved clearing. _

_She had not recognized it; the brilliant green grass was now shriveled and musty grey in color. The sky shone with no sun as an alternative dark clouds lay in its place making the surroundings shady. In the place of the glorious flowers there were desiccated stems that never bloomed. The melancholy filled Kagome's heart. What had happened to this paradise, it was now a revolting Hell._

_She fell to her knees, shaken by the loathsome sight. A few tears were escaping her tightly closed eyes. She looked up for a reason she didn't know and her eyes met molten gold. She blinked once. The golden gaze still occupied her vision. Her nose was nearly touching the strangers. She pulled back and examined his flawless face. Realization hit her and she recalled the boy. She had seen him only once before and he had saved her life._

_Kagome opened her mouth momentarily letting a small 'hello' escape her lips._

_The boy glared at her grimly. His lips slightly parted, Kagome listened eagerly for the words he was about to express. _

The dream dissipated in a blur. Kagome felt the disappointment in knowing the dream had come to an end. Her eyes blinked open; the sudden light caused her to wince. She let her eyes adjust fleetingly then sat up in her bed. Her attention was turned to the tiny window, the lights rays from outside seeped through it. Kagome realized she had undoubtedly overslept.

Her eyebrows furrowed as she pondered on why her father had not woken her as he typically did. The thought of him galloping away on the horse came into notice, had her parent not come back as of yet? She simply put the notion aside, her legs swung down over the side of her wooden bed frame. The moment her foot contacted the bitter timber floor it ached.

Kagome winced, she had utterly forgotten about the events from yesterday. She put a fair amount of support on her foot that was unscathed and limped to her dresser. She chose a decent dress that was a pale shade of rose. It went down to her ankles as all of her dresses did and fit appropriately. She leisurely made her way from the bedroom and into the main room. She spotted her mother sitting in the rocking chair patching a pair of trousers.

The older woman looked up from her work. "Look who rose from the dead." She uttered with a hint of sarcasm and a miniscule smile.

Kagome returned the smile. "Where's father?" She asked with concern.

She watched her mother fuss with the needle and thread, her mother did not give a solid answer but instead replied with, "He's gone hunting."

Kagome stared at the wooden planks on the floor. She had a steely suspicion her mother was not being entirely honest. But instead of fretting about the matter she simply said, "Oh." She dwelled in the house until after breakfast which was a concoction of freshly made bread and pork.

Subsequently Kagome went outside. Her brother was messing about on the rope swing by the stables. Kagome volunteered no mind to her juvenile brother and explored the property. As she ambled along she thought about the boy. Very unusually did she dream and this dream seemed to pose somewhat important to her. She came to a decision that after lunch she would creep back into the forest and go pursue the boy.

In the meantime she limped aimlessly around the surrounding estate. When her mother finally did request her sibling and herself in for lunch Kagome was fervent on leaving. She speedily finished her portion of the stew that had been freshly brewed. As she did her mother kept an eye on her.

"Kagome." Her mother called prohibiting her to get outdoors.

The thirteen year old turned to face her parent. "Yes?" She asked politely.

For a moment there was a suspicious glance given to her, Kagome tensed thinking she had been found out. And yet her mother's face softened.

"If you see your Father tell him to come home at once, and don't be too long." She instructed.

Kagome grinned and nodded. Her mother gave her approval she could leave and Kagome did just that. Although the teen knew that no one was around she was cautious before climbing the fence. She watched keenly for any persons who might turn her in. When she reckoned the coast was clear she escalated over the barrier. Her foot was still in a slight amount of pain but she tried to ignore the constant throbbing sensation.

Making her way back to the clearing was always a simple task. Kagome had memorized every tree, bush and rock on the invisible pathway. Before she comprehended it she was at the creak, it had returned to normal stature. The water was clear again but there was no sign of any of the tiny fish. She sighed sadly to herself. She reckoned the fish might have gotten washed away.

She slipped her modest shoes off and carried them with her as she crossed. On the other side of the creek she was stricken with gloom. The toad from yesterday was lying on its back just on the shore. Kagome lifted her feet more quickly and emerged from the water. She kneeled next to the lifeless corpse. She reached her hand towards it hesitantly and flipped the creature over. Its eyes were clouded over, Kagome observed it sorrowfully. The toad was indeed dead.

She remained there for several moments until deciding that she was going to bury it. She touched the lifeless body taking note in the jutted skin. She delicately picked it up and brought it next to one of the trees. She began to dig a fairly small hole in between two roots. Once the hole was a reasonable depth she sympathetically laid the critter inside. She glimpsed at it one last time before covering it with the lose earth.

After the ordeal with the toad Kagome continued to move. In advanced time she arrived at the clearing. It was back to the way she remembered it, not the unpleasant and dark place of the dream but the wonderful mystical one. She walked across to the tree; the grass went between her toes tickling her. She giggled. By the tree there was a hole in the earth where the youkai had emerged from, it soiled the beautiful scene.

Kagome began to work away at re-filling the hole; she didn't want anything to sully her paradise. After a good ten minutes it was more or less packed with earth. She knew the grass would take time to grow back but also took note that she couldn't help it.

She turned to gaze at the trees. She had a hindrance; the boy was nowhere to be seen. She deliberated plans of how to draw him out. As she did the wind picked up, it blew her hair into her face and her dress danced around her. She laughed gleefully trying to keep her hair under control as it blew riotously into her face. It died down in only moments; Kagome still bore the delighted expression on her face. But it turned into a gasp as she realized there was movement in the shrubs before her.

She caught a glimpse of silver sparkle in the sunlight. Her face turned softer and she called out, "Hello? If your there you can come out, I won't hurt you." The tone in her voice was reassuring and delicate.

Her eyes widened and she bore a smile as she saw the bushes quivering, a boy descended from them. He was almost a foot taller than her, his silver hair swayed in the breeze. It was longer then Kagome's and his bangs hung messily just above his golden eyes. He didn't get any nearer though; he stayed at the edge of the tree line. He had a shy countenance on his face; he would glance back at the forest as though he were unsure about the situation.

Kagome took a step forward, he took a step back. She took realization of his hesitant actions and stood in place. She smiled brightly, but he didn't return it. Then Kagome squinted at him not believing her eyes. At the top of his head sprouted two triangular dog ears. Kagome hadn't noticed them before because he had them back flat against his skull, they nearly camouflaged with his silver hair. She didn't know what to do, he seemed harmless and the fact that he had saved her yesterday dwindled in her thoughts. But she was sure now; sure as she had ever been that the boy was a youkai. She wondered if there were nice youkai, maybe this boy was one of them?

She gulped. "Hello…" She uttered nervously.

The boy's eyes flicked up to meet hers but he didn't say anything. He looked as though he wanted too but wasn't going to. Kagome anticipated that he was friendly so she tried to make conversation.

"What's your name? Mine's Kagome." She asked with a pleasant smile.

He looked at her and frowned, and then he cocked his head to the right. She thought it was one of the cutest actions she had seen before. He watched her intently, examining the strange girl. When he had enough confidence built he straightened himself out and looked at the ground beneath him.

"I…Inuyasha…" He mumbled just loud enough for Kagome to perceive.

She was immediately filled with bliss that the boy had answered her. She said his name once under her breath, it rolled off the end of her tongue. He looked at her fascinatingly as though he had heard her say it. She turned her attention back to him, he stood dumbfounded.

She looked back into his face and smiled brilliantly gaining a confused gaze. "Will you meet me here again, tomorrow?" She requested.

The boy nodded slowly, taking in her words. Kagome grinned with satisfaction.

"I have to go now; I'll see you tomorrow though." She began to walk back the way she came, before she disappeared into the trees she looked back but the boy was gone.

She didn't think too much about it and continued back home, marveling at what had just happened.

When Kagome attained home her mother was furious, Kagome had completely forgotten that today she had schooling. Her mother gave her a good scolding and reminded her that she would be fifteen in less than a year. She also recapped on Kagome's duties and chores. Kagome understood everything having heard it so many times previous but could only wish that she didn't have too many future burdens on her shoulders.

Kagome's lessons formulated a blend of the following: English, literature, etiquette (Which Kagome did not care for), religion, history and a few other unimportant teachings. She had never been fond of the endless amount of schooling.

The only subject which did in the slightest interest her was history. She loved to hear her tutor describe the wars between human and youkai, she was always eager to acquire more information when it came to the topic.

Kagome's mother had no choice but to let Kagome off with a warning today.

The teen stumbled around outside, everything else was unimportant to her but her own thoughts. She couldn't get Inuyasha off her mind. The silver flowing hair, the tiny triangular dog ears that protruded from his head. He was so strange, so… bizarre. She needed to know more about him.

That night when Kagome went to bed he was the only thoughts she had.

_She stood on the top of a hill overlooking a cliff. Her feet were bare and she wore no more than her azure silk nightgown. The sun was nowhere in sight, a slight wind rattled the branches of a nearby tree. Her bright eyes almost glowed in the dim light. A hazy fog slowly crept around her, it almost seemed to mold to her shape and glow with bright colors as it danced like smoke…_

Kagome's eyes fluttered open; she yawned slightly then sat up. The suns beams flowed freely through her tiny window. She had overslept again; she glared at the door with an unhappy frown. Her father had still not returned. She pushed the matter aside and her first priority became getting dressed. She picked a pale blue dress, it was nothing fancy.

After getting into the clothes she went out into the kitchen. Her mother was humming a tune and mixing contents of the bowl she was holding. Kagome looked at the ground then back to her mother; her mother's eyes that were identical to her own were now regarding her. Kagome opened her mouth about to speak when she was interrupted by her parent.

"Kagome I swear you sleep like the dead." Her mother set the bowl down and looked back at her child. A slight frown grew in her features, "Heavens what are you wearing, I didn't know you had anything so repulsive in your wardrobe."

Kagome's gaze centered on the dress she was wearing, now that she looked at it, it was rather ugly.

Kagome sighed, "I'm going out and I didn't want to make any of my expensive dresses ruined."

Her mother shook her head and laughed dryly. "You're not going anywhere until you do your schooling. Also I want you out of that dress and into this." Her mother came around the counter and went into her room; she came back out with some cloth folded in her arms.

Kagome was passed the outfit; she soon disappeared into her bedroom with a grim expression on her face. Her mother waited patiently in the kitchen, she had returned to her previous doings and was mixing. When Kagome came back out her mother's face held a precious look of satisfaction and joy.

The dress was more like a gown; it had a corset back which was tied neatly and efficiently. It flowed down to her ankles and she was forced to lift the bottom as she walked. It was a perfect shade of silver and in the sun had a tint of light blue. It was sleeveless and the top sat perfectly above her breasts. It showed her curves and had a silky feel to it. Her mother smiled at her, the tears of happiness filling her eyes. Her daughter had never looked so beautiful; she would truly make a fine wife one day.

Kagome twirled around once, the fabric danced around her and came to a stop as she did. The dress in itself was beautiful but with Kagome wearing it, it was gorgeous. The way her bed hair draped over her shoulders and down her back almost to her tailbone. Her seemingly flawless features and bright eyes. Her mother wiped a stray tear away with her sleeve.

"So… How do I look?" Kagome asked flicking her gaze to her mothers.

Her mother smiled and laughed, "You look beautiful dear."

The tutor arrived on time, as he always did. But today he was in a foul mood. He paid no mind to Kagome's fabulous new dress and went straight to the lessons. He didn't allow Kagome to ask a question and if he caught her dozing off he would smack her with the diamond tipped cane he wielded.

He talked for what seemed like ages about religion, and don't even get me started on English. Then just as Kagome thought she was going to expire from the lack of interest he began, "Be smart girl. What is the most dangerous type of youkai?" He questioned.

Kagome knew the answer immediately and answered, "The ones that can take on human form."

He nodded, "Good, and do you know why that is?"

"Because they can blend in with society." She stated proudly.

"Yes, and if a youkai becomes a part of society then it becomes a troublesome matter."

Kagome thought a moment before asking, "When the youkai are hunted what happens to the youkai that are only children and infants? They aren't dangerous…"

The man snorted, "Not dangerous? They are the most dangerous! People think that taking pity on them because they are young is a kind thing to do, but absolutely not! All youkai are to be killed on sight, and it is a heinous crime to not report one."

Kagome reflected deeply about that, how could someone so small be… dangerous? Her mind gave her an image of the boy in the forest; the looks he gave her were filled with hatred. Had something happened to him? She frowned in thought of someone hurting him just because of what he was.

The lessons continued on tirelessly until dinner time. Kagome was disappointed that she had told Inuyasha back in the forest she would return today. Alas there was nothing she could do. She would have to return tomorrow.

For dinner they had freshly made biscuits and a roast. Kagome stowed some biscuits away in a little leather bag, she came to the conclusion she would give them to Inuyasha as an apology. After supper she descended into her room. The dress was still flawless even as she slipped it off and put on her nightgown. She looked at the beautiful sea of silver the dress created as it lay draped over the side of her bed. She ran her hand through the fabric taking in the silky soft touch of it.

Suddenly a knock at the door brought her attention from the dress. It opened to reveal her mother. Kagome took note in the wooded box she carried. Her mother smiled genuinely then took a seat next to her daughter on the bed. The little box sat on her lap.

"How do you like the dress?" She asked softly.

Kagome smiled, "I love it, thank you."

Her mother answered with a smile and a nod. Then her face turned slightly serious as she eyed the box.

"Mother? What's that?" Kagome asked referring to the timber container.

Her mother gazed at her with a sweet smile. "In this box there is a very special item I wish to give you." She began to open the container, "It is called the Shikon no Tama, or the Jewel of Four Souls. It is very valuable and has been passed down through generations of our household." Inside the box was a beautiful purple crystal. It was shaped like a sphere and seemed to almost glow.

Kagome eyed the precious jewel. It was almost like she was hypnotized by its beauty. Her mother ever so gently lifted the artifact; it was on the end of a silver chain. The parent undid the laches and brought it around her daughter's neck, she re-fastened it and it hung naturally around her slender collar. Kagome touched the jewel with her hand in a way that someone would touch a delicate flower.

The beauty of the jewel mellowed with Kagome's natural beauty. Together they made one another look all the more marvelous.

"It's yours now, so take care of it." Her mother stated.

Kagome gave her a bright grin, "Of course, I'll never take it off."

Her mother nodded, she got to her feet steadily then kissed her daughter on the forehead before departing the room. Kagome felt like this responsibility was a blessing rather than a curse, the moment her eyes laid on the jewel she knew she yearned for it. She placed the dress on the back of her chair then climbed into bed. She snuggled her face into her pillow and fell asleep grasping the jewel and a slight smile on her lips.

She suddenly got the idea that she wanted to see Inuyasha even more, she wanted to please him with her mother's baked goods and show off her necklace. She wanted to get to know the youkai, the monster who saved her life.

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	3. Hunted

**Added a story cover today that I drew up, hope you like it.**

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Kagome yawned drowsily, she could feel the jewel necklace her mother had given her the other night still seized in her hand. The young girl sat up leisurely and released the jewel. She brought her arms over her head in a stretching motion then let them fall back to her sides. She turned her heavy-eyed gaze to the insignificant window. Outside the sun shone brilliantly, a few stray clouds hovered calmly.

A content smile graced her full rose lips. She decided then that today was going to be a good day.

From the corner of her eye Kagome caught sight of the leather bag that contained the biscuits from last night's dinner it lay on her side table. She smiled in recognition of her plan to give them to Inuyasha. The sudden thought of the youkai made her get to work. She quickly got out of bed and strode to her dresser. She picked a plain brown skirt and a frilly white top. As rapidly as she could, she changed into them.

With teeth gritted in nervousness she clumsily opened her bedroom door. It released a small squeak but it wasn't loud enough to wake the sleeping household. A small sigh of relief came from the girls slightly parted lips. She continued to tip-toe through the house, her leather bag in hand. Once across the main room/kitchen she opened the front door. It wasn't known to make any identifiable noises so she was in luck. She closed the door behind her then bolted towards the fence.

One at the barrier she quickly glanced around to make sure no one would apprehend her in the act. The coast was clear.

The teen made her way over the fence and landed gracefully on her feet. She looked back one more time before commencing into the woods. This time however she paid little attention to the surroundings. She was set on getting to the clearing. Kagome neared the little creak and crossed it soundly, she continued on her way without interruptions until reaching her destination.

The clearing looked mystical as it always did. The flowers seemed to glow in the sunlight and the grass looked like strands of emerald. Kagome tried to pry her eyes away from the disturbed dirt near the blossoming tree, the memory of the youkai attacking her still hung in her mind. All thoughts of that diminished the moment she realized _he_ was here.

Inuyasha perched in the branches of the marvelous tree. The pink blossoms surrounded him enveloping him in a shower of magenta. His brilliant liquid gold irises set on the teenage girl. She smiled at him and waved childishly. He did not smile back but simply leapt from the towering branch he had previously been settled on. Kagome was at first startled by the action. The tree was quite tall, but he landed elegantly on the soft earth beneath him and appeared unharmed. His flawless face gazed at her curiously as she ran across the short distance between them.

He took a few steps back from her, she got the hint he didn't want to be so close to her so she stopped. They were approximately a yard from each other. Inuyasha continued to stare at her blankly and her smile slowly widened.

"Are you hungry?" Kagome asked sweetly.

He looked around nervously.

"I have some biscuits my mother made, would you like one?" Kagome began to unfasten the bag from her hip once it was undone she sat on the grass.

The smell of the delicious pastries wafted into Inuyasha's nose, he could feel the saliva threaten to spill from the corner of his mouth. He eyed Kagome's hands as they pulled one of the biscuits from the leather bag. He looked into her eyes and she gave him an assuring smile.

"Go ahead you can have it." She guaranteed, she outstretched her hand offering the treat.

He looked at it then back at her, the uncertainty was apparent in his features. Then he got a jolt of courage, he reached for the biscuit and hesitantly took it from Kagome's hand. Kagome gazed at his clawed hand, her curiosity of youkai grew. She imagined how sharp the claws must be and also pondered on the thought of if they had been used to kill…

Inuyasha basically devoured the treat in one bite. Not even taking a millisecond to savor the sweet taste he ate the entire thing. Kagome giggled out loud, he tilted his head curiously.

After swallowing the food he asked, "What?"

Kagome smiled and released another laugh, "You eat like a wolf!"

He narrowed his eyes and continued to stare at her, obviously not understanding the humor.

"I eat like… a wolf?" He replied.

Kagome realized he didn't quite understand. "Never mind." She laughed. "Oh right I'm sorry I didn't come here like I promised yesterday."

"It don't matter." He answered with a shrug.

They didn't speak to each other for a while; an awkward aura surrounded the two. Kagome decided to break the silence.

"So… How about you tell me about yourself?" She questioned politely.

"What do you wanna know?" He asked seeming completely uninterested.

"What are you? I know you a youkai but what kind are you, do you have any special powers?" Kagome had to stop herself from asking anymore questions.

He sat down cross-legged a few feet from the teenage girl. He didn't reply to her question nor did he speak at all.

"Alright… You don't have to answer." Kagome said taking out another biscuit and popping it into her mouth.

The youkai's attention was immediately caught; he watched her endlessly as she took bite after bite of the pastry, his mouth began to water. In truth he hadn't eaten for a while and the aroma of the food was killing him. His eyes widened as she finished and then pulled another from the leather carrier.

Kagome noticed the way he looked at her as she consumed the biscuits. He looked like a puppy begging at the dining table. It was absolutely adorable! She peered at the treat in her hand.

"Would you like the last one?" She asked carefully.

He looked at the grass beneath him and nodded slowly. Kagome gave it to him and he devoured it within seconds. She couldn't help but laugh at the action a second time. The ways he moved were so childish and foreign. He acted like so much was new to him, like he was a curious toddler.

Kagome had so many things she wanted to ask him, so many questions. If only he weren't so stubborn and would just answer them…

"Ne, Inuyasha where are your parents?" Kagome finally asked.

He swallowed his food and looked at the ground. He picked a strand of grass and began to amuse himself by slowly picking it apart. He shrugged.

"You don't know?" She asked concerned.

He sighed, "Well…" He didn't finish his sentence.

"What is it…?" Kagome requested calmly.

"They're both dead." He answered.

"Oh." Was all she could say, honestly she didn't know how to react to that. "I…I'm sorry."

"It's fine it was a long time ago…" He mumbled.

Kagome nodded. Another silence loomed over the pair. It wasn't an awkward silence this time but a comfortable one. She peered from the corner of her eye and saw Inuyasha playing with the strand of grass.

"How…How old are you?" She questioned.

He took a moment to think. "I don't know…" He said faintly.

"Don't know…?" Kagome said under her breath taking in his words.

He sighed; the piece of grass fell from his hand as he got to his feet. "I have to go now." He announced.

Kagome also got up. "Yeah, I should likely be getting back home too. Will you meet me here tomorrow again? I can bring more biscuits."

Kagome had to suppress a smile when his ears pricked at the word biscuits. He nodded.

"Alright, I'll see you then." Kagome did a little curtsey ad gathered her bag.

She began to make her way across the clearing again. Inuyasha watched her until she was at the tree line then he too began to leave. He walked slowly up the little hill side, his bare feet feeling every stone, blade of grass and other nature beneath them. He sighed. That girl was very odd, but then again she was really the only person he had talked to other then Miyoga.

And for some extraordinary reason she liked him, she was kind to him. It wasn't something that many people would do considering what he was. Both youkai and humans alike despised him. He shook his head, Miyoga was an exception but he only put up with him because of his father.

Inuyasha looked back at the clearing one last time before departing. He had to admit, he was really looking forward to seeing Kagome again…

.-.-.

Kagome walked through the trees, a huge smile lit up the teen's face. She had triumphed in meeting Inuyasha again, and they had grown much closer through conversation. She still knew little about him but was getting closer to unlocking the boy's secrets.

As she neared the fence that was the one boundary that kept her and the forest apart she stopped momentarily and looked back into the trees. It was expected she would venture back to the clearing again.

She turned back towards the fence and climbed over. Her feet touched the soft earth and she bounded for her bedroom window. Once she was before the little square she took one last glance at the forest, and it could have been her imagination but she could have sworn she saw a glimpse of red…

* * *

Kagome lay in her bed staring at the seemingly interesting roof. She could hear her mother in the kitchen preparing breakfast. Apparently not a soul in the house had noticed her absence this morning. It was a relief to the girl, but it also hurt a little that she was never missed when she left.

She lazily swung her legs to the side of the bed, her arms were drawn above her head and she let out a yawn. She brought her hands to her groggy eyes and rubbed the sleep from them. After that Kagome forced herself to her feet, she did not need to change for she was still dressed in the clothes she had changed into this morning.

The teen slowly made her way to the door and headed into the kitchen.

"Good morning Kagome." Her mother said realizing her daughter's presence.

Kagome replied with a, "Good morning." Back and sat down at the table.

She ran a hand through her frizzy bed-hair and let out another minor yawn. Her mother peered at her from the corner of her eye and began to speak as she cooked.

"You look tired. Is there any reason you would be?"

Kagome shook her head, "No it's just I was kept awake by the birds outside chirping all night, is all."

"Hm. Is that so?" She said slowly.

Confusion filled Kagome's mind, her mother was acting awfully suspicious.

"Yes." Kagome responded.

Her mother turned around and crossed her arms; she leaned against the counter slightly and gave her daughter a look she would never forget.

With pursed lips she said, "How long have you been sneaking into the forest?"

The teen was dumbfounded, "I… I have never gone near the forest. You told me not to because it's dangerous." She stuttered.

Her mother's eyebrows furrowed. "Sota!" She called.

The young boy's bedroom door opened and he walked out. He did not make eye contact with his mother or Kagome.

"Tell Kagome what you told me." She ordered.

Sota gulped. "I… I heard you leave this morning, and I followed you." He mumbled quietly.

Kagome's stomach turned upside-down. "You what?" She asked quietly.

"I saw you go over the fence. I wanted to see what you were doing so I stayed behind you, I saw that weird field and I saw that kid."

Her heart began to beat widely.

"I also saw… his hair and ears!" Sota cried. Tears began to roll down the boy's face.

The siblings' mother stepped forward. "I caught Sota sneaking back over the fence before you returned. He was scared out of his mind to tell me what he was doing and what he saw. Eventually he told me. So, how long have you been going over there?" She demanded sternly.

Kagome's eyes were filled with fragile tears that threatened to escape. "I've only gone this once. I swear!" She lied.

"Really? Well your brother told me that he saw you talking to someone, so here I ask again. How long have you been going there?"

Kagome shut her eyes tightly, "Only a few times."

"And this boy, who is he?"

"I don't know…" she whispered.

"Kagome don't you lie to me!" She mother yelled.

She flinched but stood her ground, "He's just a friend that's all."

"Does he live here in the village?"

"Not exactly…"

"Who is he then?"

"He's just a friend, why do you need to bring him into this?" Kagome sobbed.

"Well if you're 'friend' is what Sota describes him as than he is a youkai. And that Kagome is a serious thing; he needs to be exterminated at once. For all we know he could have cast some sort of a spell on you to make you trust him."

"He's not like that!" Kagome shouted.

Silence filled the room; followed by a slap.

With her hand still raised kagome's mother screamed at her, "Go to your bedroom at once!"

Kagome obeyed and dashed for her room. She collapsed onto the bed at once and began to cry.

Afterwards the first thing Kagome's mother did was send one of the farmhands to the village, she told him to get one of their best hunters and send him straight to the Higurashi residence…

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**I hope you enjoyed this chapter of Demon Adoration. Please leave me a review and let me know what you think! Thank you.**


	4. Chase

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Kagome didn't know how long she had sat in solitude crying, but it had been long enough... Her tears had finally come to a standstill. Now she merely sat there. Every so often a sob would escape her pale lips. It was as if all happiness had been drained from her.

She couldn't get the image of Inuyasha being chased through the compact woods. In each image he was apprehended and killed on the spot, each way of execution being more terrible than the other...

Without warning the slamming of a door brought her thoughts to an end.

She turned her head towards her own bedroom door; she listened eagerly to the voices speaking just outside of her room.

"Mrs. Higurashi, a pleasure as always." A grueling man's voice spoke.

Kagome's mother than spoke back to the stranger, "Yes well... I wouldn't have called you all the way here if it weren't urgent."

The man snorted, "I hear your daughter has found herself a youkai."

Kagome's mother stayed silent for a moment. "Yes, although she won't tell us where that thing is, my youngest child Sota has seen where it lives."

"Hm, and will he lead us there?"

"Yes."

"Well than where is the boy?" He demanded.

Kagome noiselessly crept from her bed a diminutive amount closer to the door. She slightly pressed her head against the cool oak surface and listened closely. She could hear her mother's footsteps moving throughout the small cottage. As she went by Kagome's door a second pair of footsteps followed, much lighter than her mother's. They came to a stop once reaching the kitchen.

"Look sturdy boy." The man's voice boomed.

Kagome heard her brother gasp.

The man's voice continued, "So I hear you have seen a youkai. Do you remember where you saw the beast?"

Sota gulped, "Ye...Yes sir." He said silently.

The man snickered. "Good, we'll leave...-"

Kagome backed away from the door. The tears began to well in her eyes glossing them over. They-They are going to find Inuyasha!

Without a single thought Kagome spun on her heals and looked out her window. She moved forward quickly and swung it open, the cold air bit at her skin. She didn't care though. She climbed out; her bare feet felt the grass beneath them. She didn't have time to spare; she began to sprint towards the fence.

It didn't take long before she was over the wooden barrier and running at full speed through the woods. She grinded her teeth and breathed hard through her nose, she needed to reach him! Tears rolled along her cheeks and seemingly disappeared as they fell from her fragile skin.

A gust of wind blew her hair back and a boom of thunder was heard nearby. She continued to run, her lungs felt as though they were going to burst. She reached the creak, not caring about ruining her clothes she ran through it becoming soaked in the soiled water.

She continued until she burst out into the clearing. The blossoms on the grand tree were being thrown around by the aggressive winds. The grass wasn't its normal emerald green but a dim dull color. The incoming storm was destroying the surroundings. Suddenly severe rain began to descend from the heavens.

Kagome's hair danced in the wind wildly, it stuck to her dirty face.

"Inuyasha!" She screamed.

There was no answer, "Inuyashaaaa!" She called again.

Suddenly a shiver ran up her spine and Inuyasha's voice replied behind her, "Kagome?"

She turned around to face him, her eyes met his. Water dripped from the ends of his red kimono, a blank look on his face.

"What're you doing here?" He questioned.

Kagome held back the tears threatening to spill from her azure eyes. She took a deep breath and spoke clearly, "There is a hunting party coming to find you... They are planning on killing you; I had to warn you... I'm sorry..." She looked at her feet.

Inuyasha's expression hardened. "Are you sure? How did this happen?"

"I'm so sorry! It's all my fault, my brother followed me, I...I had no idea! I'm sorry." She burst.

Inuyasha frowned, "Don't worry about it, I'll handle this. Go back to the village before you're found out, I'll be fine." He assured.

Kagome breathed in deeply, "Are you sure."

"Positive."

Kagome turned around slowly and began to creep her way back into the woods; before he was out of sight she dared a look back. Inuyasha stood there, his face lost in thought.

"Be safe." She whispered.

Then she darted into the woods…

* * *

The rainfall fell violently as Inuyasha stared at his feet in deep thought. He clenched his fist into a tight ball causing his nails to dig into his flesh; a line of blood dripped onto the soft grass. He would need to leave the forest… No, he couldn't do that. Suddenly as he looked up from his feet he pressed his lips together and furrowed his eyebrows, he had a plan.

...

Inuyasha perched in a lofty tree; he surveyed the area for the hunting party. He could smell the oil from their lanterns growing stronger and at last he spotted them. Through the copious rainfall he could make out about five men and a young boy. A sly grin broke out on his features and he leapt down from the tree, disappearing into the shadows.

Sota led the hunting party on their expedition, he could to a certain degree remember the direction to the clearing but the memory was slightly hazy.

"Well boy, which way is it?" The huntsman who his Mother had called demanded.

Sota scanned the trees trying to recall the way he had taken. His eyes spotted a small creek which he had remembered from following Kagome. He reached out his arm and pointed towards it.

The older man smiled and patted Sota's head before moving ahead of the group. The six of them trudged their way across the creek, none of them even took the time to take off their shoes for the rain had them already completely drenched. It wasn't long before they emerged from the tree line and into the clearing.

The once beautiful paradise had been nearly completely destroyed by the storm. All of the blossoms on the towering tree had been carried away by the brutal winds and the wild flowers were withering and discolored. The river had turned into a vicious combination of raging waters, broken logs, branches, and even the carcasses of some animals being swept away by the current. The men peered around looking for their prey.

"Where'd you see the beast?" The huntsman questioned Sota.

Sota's cold, exhausted body trembled. He eyed the great tree a few moments before pointing at it. The man stepped forward and approached the hulking tree. Its colossal branches waved violently in the wind. The man squinted and peered around, there seemed to be no sign of any youkai. That is until he saw a glimpse of red.

It was proximate to the upper half of the tree and looked to be a piece of fabric. The man's eyebrows furrowed.

He turned to one of the other men and whispered, "Give me a bow." One of the men equipping a bow on their back removed it and tossed it over to him. The man, with bow readied, circled to the back of the tree. He could scarcely make out a figure clothed in red pressed against the barky tree trunk. The creature seemed to have not noticed the huntsman as of yet.

He aimed the bow at his designated target and took a deep breath in. Closing one of his eyes and focusing on the prey with the other, he shot with precision. The arrow soared through the sky and there was a moment of silence before it connected with its intended body. Suddenly the figure in red let out an animal-like cry and it plummeted from the tree. It hit several branches on the way down before falling to the grassy earth.

All of the other men sprinted to the fallen corpse. The huntsman readied another arrow and aimed it towards the lifeless body; the red cloak covered the creature sheltering its appearance. He then nudged it with his foot and when it did not move he flipped it over onto its back. A large white wolf lay in the center of the cloak; its snowy fur was stained with its blood.

The huntsman grinned widely and let out a laugh, "We have done it men! The beast is slain. It seems that what the boy saw was merely a disguise to lure the Higurashi girl into its trap. Behold its true form."

The men stood in awe and examined the corpse. Sota stood a distance away and peered into the tree line, he comprehended the fact that it was all over, but deep down he felt like something wasn't right…

Inuyasha watched from the other side of the river, hidden in the deep brush. He smirked at the sight of the humans surrounding the wolf he had injured and placed there. He knew that humans were gullible enough to fall for something like that. Internally laughing he turned around and retreated into the forest.

* * *

Kagome had been secluded in her room for hours now. Her mother had feebly attempted to bring her some dinner but she got no reply out of her daughter; instead Kagome merely sat there, deep in thought and silent.

The thirteen year old couldn't get her mind off of Inuyasha. She anticipated him being there the next time she snuck off more than anything; and yet, somewhere in the back of her mind she couldn't help but imagine the hunting party capturing him. The images wouldn't leaving her mind of his body lying lifeless and his crimson blood staining his striking silver hair with his eyes wide open, the life leaving them and the golden color melting away into a comatose grey.

Her eyes began to water; she took the skirt of her dress and wiped the tears away. Without warning she glimpsed out the window and spotted the hunting party. They climbed over the fence and then walked over towards the house. Kagome immediately stood to her feet and retreated from her room, just in time to see the men entering the house.

The huntsman from earlier wielded a massive brown sack, as he set it down she heard a loud thud. Her heart skipped a beat.

Kagome's mother put down the rag she had been cleaning with and walked over to the party.

"I presume the beast is dead?" She pronounced as she looked over the large sack.

"Aye," The huntsman replied. "Didn't put up much of a fight, the beast didn't know what hit him." He let out a husky laugh.

Kagome's mother's face immediately looked somewhat relieved. She made her way over to the counter and snatched up a hefty coin purse which was brimming with silver and gold coins. She situated the coin purse in the Huntsman's hands. He proceeded to peer into it and a large grin appeared on his face as he inspected the contents.

"I hope this will cover your services." Kagome's Mother declared.

The Huntsman looked up with a smile apparent on his features. "Aye." He uttered.

As the party spoke with Kagome's Mother Kagome couldn't take her eyes off of the sack. A small pool of blood had begun to leak from within it. A look of pure horror was apparent in Kagome's azure eyes as she assumed what lay within the bag. Stricken with grief Kagome rushed into her room and shut the door. The teen then collapsed onto her bed and began to weep.

The tears dropped endlessly from her eyes, and then suddenly a tapping noise interrupted her mourning. She peered up at her window where the noise had come from and through her blurred eyes she could make out the color of a red Kimono. She immediately wiped the shedding tears away and looking back up; she realized the figure before her was none other than Inuyasha.

A smile swept her face and the tears began to fall a little more gently.

"Inu…yasha?" She whispered.

He tilted his head at her, his golden gaze holding an uncertainty. He backed up allowing Kagome room to open the small window and climb through, when she was clear of the window she progressed forward and latched her arms around Inuyasha. His ears went back and he was clearly startled. He froze unsure of what to do next.

Kagome's body was shaking; she was smiling and crying at the same time. Overwhelmed with happiness she just held onto her friend.

"I thought you'd been killed." She whispered. "I thought it was my fault you'd been killed and I'd never see you again."

Inuyasha gently pushed her off of him and cleared his throat. His cheeks had become rosy from blushing.

"I… I'm fine." He declared, turning away.

Kagome released a giggle.

"I've got to get going… Y'know before they notice me…" Inuyasha uttered.

Kagome vaguely smiled. "I'll see you in the clearing, tomorrow?" She questioned.

"Keh, if you want to." He answered.

"Tomorrow then." She affirmed.

* * *

**-2 years later-**

"Kagome... It's time to get up..." Kagome's mother's voice spoke softly in her ears.

Kagome turned onto her side and groaned. She really didn't want to get up...

"Kagome." Her mother's voice grew louder.

Finally her eyelids gradually lifted revealing two bright azure orbs. She twisted her body towards the door to see her mother's head peaking in.

"Kagome you need to get up, there is a surprise waiting for you in the kitchen." Her mother's features brightened and she smiled, "Make sure you wear something nice." She finished before leaving and closing the door behind her.

Kagome yawned hazily. She drew her arms over her head and stretched, afterwards letting them fall back onto the bed. She sighed.

Despite the fact she was dead tired and sore she dealt with it and managed to drag herself out of the comfort of her bed. Her bare feet touched the cool floor; she could feel the irregular surface of the wood on her soles. She walked to the small dresser and dug through the container looking for an appropriate garb.

Finally her hand touched the fabric of one favourable dress. She pulled the gown out and held it in front of her, imagining what it would look like on her tiny frame. A smile graced her lips. It was perfect. After taking off her current wear she slipped the dress over her body.

…

After several moments the young 15 year old departed her room. All eyes turned to her. Her expression was at first of the norm but after several seconds the realization hit her, and it showed.

She hadn't noticed at first that a guest was present. He was a handsome young man; his hair was dark and short, nicely groomed. Two eyes, a chestnut color, were set on her. He had a striking grin on his face.

Kagome immediately started to back away, her mother's hand grabbing onto her arm brought her to a halt.

"Kagome this is Hojo, he is the headsman's son from the next village over, and do you remember him from when you were little? He is here to see you." She smiled at her.

Kagome's eyes widened and she gulped. Her head titled ever so slightly towards this 'Hojo', he was staring diffidently at her. Her mother's grip loosened and Kagome took a step towards the boy, who was about a year older than she.

His smile grew and his eyes wandered over her body, coming back to meet hers.

"Hello, I'm Hojo. And you must be the lovely Kagome?" He alleged taking a small bow.

Kagome nodded.

"Kagome say hello!" Her mother said strictly making her jump.

She looked at Hojo's face, "Hi." She spoke plainly.

* * *

After a torturing hour and a half of sitting with Hojo and talking about pointless blabber, and receiving a fair amount of priceless gifts Kagome was more than happy when he left.

"Farewell Kagome!" He called as he and his father rode away on horseback.

Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Kagome." Her mother's voice spoke from behind her.

Kagome turned around and smiled trying to hide the monotony in her face.

"How did you like him, was he nice to you, are you having any thoughts about this?" The excitement was evident in her mother's tone.

"Yes, he was kind, but I'm not really interested." Kagome answered.

Her mother's face turned into a scowl. "Not interested? Kagome you do understand the importance of this…?"

"Yes mother…. But I'm not sure."

"I'll give you some time to think about it…" Her mother got up and departed leaving Kagome sitting on the porch steps.

She took a big sigh. She needed something to get her mind off of this… Suddenly a dazzling smile came to her features, she knew just what to do.

She looked back at the front door to the house, feeling that her mother would not catch her Kagome got to her feet and bolted towards the fence, which was a good amount higher and stronger than it had been 2 year ago.

Her dress danced around her in the wind. She got a good hold on one of the wooden bars and pulled herself up grabbing onto yet another one and repeated the process, finally she had come to the top of the structure. She swung her legs over the side and jumped, landing smoothly on the mossy ground below.

She looked back at the fence and smiled triumphantly. Her mother thought that building a higher fence would stop her... If only she could see her daughter right now.

Kagome turned back and began to walk deep into the forest.

It wasn't long before Kagome came to the small trench-like scar in the forest floor. It had once been a creek but had dried up not too long ago. She thought back to the memories of tiny fish swimming against the current. She shook her head clear of the memories and continued on her way.

After a while the forest finally came to an end. The rays of sunlight blinded Kagome at first, but once they adjusted she looked up to see the clearing. It was as beautiful as it had ever been.

Since the first time she had come here this place was still truly magnificent. The grass still held that incredible green and the fluorescent flowers had spread, engulfing the area in colors.

Her eyes scanned the area. Finally she saw him.

He sat perched in the branches of the immense tree; bright blossoms surrounded him nearly concealing his body. Even though he was practically invisible, encased in the pink petals Kagome could tell it was he.

As she neared the Tree, which she had named the Goshinboku, she saw his figure move slightly. His lengthy silver hair was now visible, as well as his crimson Kimono.

The next thing Kagome caught sight of was a pair of intense molten gold eyes observing her; they were animalistic, exotic and watched her like a predator. Below them and a perfectly molded nose, was a smirk evident on his lips. A fang was detectable; it sat in the long rows of perfectly set white teeth.

As Kagome came closer he shifted and leapt from the high branch landing graciously in front of her. He was a good height taller than her, he had been since they had met but now his childish features were replaced by strong emotion filled and mature characteristics.

He smiled wide, it was a cute smile. And it wasn't often that he showed much joy as he was now. Kagome smiled back.

"So Kagome, what brought you to my little hideout?" He teased.

Kagome giggled, "Oh you know, just got bored of wondering around at home."

Inuyasha's face brightened as he watched her laughing. He hadn't seen her for at least a week now, and as much as he hated to admit it he had really missed his little human.

Her chuckling came to an end and she looked at his face, she could tell he had so much to ask her of what had been going on lately.

The two talked for nearly an hour, they were now positioned under the Goshinboku. Kagome sat on her knees and played with a strand of grass as Inuyasha sat cross-legged in front of her. She explained how she had been lately and anything he had missed, although she left out the part regarding Hojo…

"Sounds pretty good to me," Inuyasha said. "Y'know you make it sound like living in the village is a bad thing. But it sounds like royalty compared to living out here."

Kagome dropped the grass strand. "I would give anything to stay here, forever…" She sighed.

Inuyasha grimaced at her. "And why's that? You do know that there's more to living on your own than you think."

"I know, but still…"

"You don't know nothin'." He said playfully pushing her over onto the grass.

Kagome scowled at him, "If you ruin this dress I swear to Kami I will kill you."

He smirked. "Well, you can't kill me if you can't catch me."

As Kagome was getting back up he shoved her back down, she glared at him. One thing you did not want to do was make Kagome angry, Inuyasha knew that all too well.

Before she could get back up he pushed himself off the ground and scrambled onto a branch of the Goshinboku. Kagome finally made it to her feet and sent him a deathly stare; she raised her fist at him and shook it.

"I'm going to come up there and drag you back down if I have too!" She yelled.

He only laughed at her, "Go ahead."

Kagome smiled to herself, she got a good hold on some of the bark and pulled herself up. All the while finding other places to clasp onto with her hands and feet. She was only about halfway up the tree when she felt something bite her on the neck.

She panicked and began smacking her neck with one hand but she missed the little nuisance that had dared bite her. Without warning she lost her gripping.

She felt herself falling; a scream came from her lips. She closed her eyes tightly, she waited for impact, but strangely nothing happened. She opened one eye; she was in Inuyasha's arms safely on the ground.

His golden gaze was filled with alarm.

"Kagome, are you ok?" He asked. The worry evident in his voice.

Kagome nodded, "Yeah I'm fine…. But what, what bit me?"

Inuyasha frowned; he slowly set her back onto her feet.

Kagome drew the collar of her dress back and saw a small flee squashed against her skin. Inuyasha took a step towards her and squinted at the bug, suddenly his face turned into a scowl. He extended one of his clawed hands and seized the flee.

"Myoga!" He shouted.

Suddenly the little flee came to life. It lifted its head to look at Inuyasha.

"Oh, Master Inuyasha! How are you this fine day?" It spoke nervously.

Kagome couldn't believe her ears! Did that flee just… talk?

"You fool Myoga! Do you not realize what you just did? Kagome could have fallen!" Inuyasha spat.

Myoga looked down at his buggy hands. "Well I didn't realize this was the young maiden you spoke to me of…"

Inuyasha sighed and glanced at Kagome; it appeared she had just seen a ghost.

"Kagome are you alright?" Inuyasha asked.

Kagome nodded slowly, "Just a little shaken up is all… Do you want to explain to me who this is?"

…

Inuyasha explained that Myoga the flee was his guardian. He had been watching over him since his parents had perished. Basically Myoga was the one whom had taught him all he knew and had protected him from being sought after by the villagers.

"That's so sweet," Kagome said taking in everything she had heard. "So you two are like family. Why didn't you tell me about him before?"

Myoga nodded, "Yes if that's what you wish to call it, and I believe that master Inuyasha refrained from telling you about me because he wished to appear as though he was living here alone and taking care of himself, which in turn made him seem stronger..."

Inuyasha gave a subtle yet irritated "Keh" in reply.

* * *

Before long the sun began to set. The sky was lit up with a wide array of color, and a light breeze kept the hot air from scorching you to a crisp. Inuyasha and Kagome were positioned on the side of a hill, watching the sun set together had become a natural thing that they did quite often.

Kagome peeked at the young hanyou next to her; he was lying on his back with his hands behind his head staring up at the sky. The sun reflected off of his golden gaze making it appear as though his eyes were glowing.

He noticed her intently looking at him, and glanced at her.

"What is it, Kagome?" He questioned quietly.

She looked away; a light blush graced her rosy cheeks. "Nothing…" She whispered.

He shrugged and returned to surveying the sky. Kagome puller her knees to her chest and rested her chin on them. She would soon have to return home; otherwise her mother would worry…

* * *

Kagome got home just as the sun had completely fallen, Inuyasha accompanied her to the fence than bid her farewell, disappearing into the night.

The young teen climbed over the barricade and darted to the front door of the house; she kicked the dirt from her shoes and opened the door going inside. Within the cottage the candles had recently been blown out, the only light was from the open fire. Everyone had already departed to their rooms and were sleeping soundly.

Kagome smiled to herself, she had enjoyed Inuyasha's company.

She tip-toed across the house and slipped into her room, unnoticed. Slowly she crept into her bed. She was too tired to change out of her current wear. Within minutes she was in a deep slumber…

…

Without her knowing Inuyasha stealthily had followed her, he truly cared for Kagome. He didn't even have words to describe the feelings he was having. But something in him made him protective, every night for the past month he had come to the village and watched over her.

He perched himself in a tree that was far enough from the house he could keep an eye on her but at the same time remain hidden. His golden eyes set on the currently star filled sky. The breeze wafted Kagome's sent into his nose, he inhaled deeply and closed his eyes.

That night he dreamt of his beloved human girl.

* * *

**Thank you for reading, please leave me a review and let me know what you think.**


	5. To Be Wed

**Thank you all for the reviews, follows, and favorites! They all help inspire me to write my very best for all of you! Enjoy.**

* * *

Kagome reluctantly awoke. As she lay up in bed her hair fell around her in a tangled ebony mess, her eyes were a tad swollen and she yawned wearily. Suddenly a knock came to her door followed by it creaking open. Her Father appeared in the door-way. Kagome's worn-out face immediately gained a look of joy.

She had not seen her father for days now; he had been traveling from their village to Hojo's neighboring village perpetually for months now. As she watched her father walk towards her bed she noticed he held a bouquet of wildflowers, ranging from brilliant shades of purple to shadowy blues. Under his other arm she realized he had two middle-sized packages armed.

A smile came to her Father's face, "These are from the headsman's son, Hojo." He stated, handing the packages to her.

Kagome took the first one and frowned, this unremitting flow of gifts was becoming quite peeving. She pulled off the layer of russet paper concealing the box and then slowly lifted the lid. Inside she saw a sparkling amethyst fabric, when she touched it, it was silky. She lifted it from the box to reveal the full form of the gown. The top of it was fitting while the bottom frilled out slightly yet still seized the full body of whoever wore it. It was truly a beautiful garb.

Her father's mouth was vaguely gaping open as he looked over the dress, it deemed a little inappropriate to send a skin-tight dress to his daughter. Yet, he blocked out the thought.

"Why don't you open the other one now?" He uttered, clearing his throat.

Kagome gently set the beautiful cloth down and picked up the other box; she opened it to reveal a pair of high-heeled shoes. They were black with two amethyst jewels on the toe of the shoes. She set them next to the dazzling dress and they matched quite well. She looked at her father and grinned. He returned a smile back.

"This Hojo must really like you." He announced whilst peering over the flowers. "Hopefully he'll treat you fairly when the two of you marry." He laughed.

Kagome nearly fell off of her bed! She had completely forgotten about the marriage and that it was her "Honor" and "Duty" to marry Hojo. The real reason being her village wanted to keep trading with his father's much larger village, which produced double the resources of any other village in the area. She let out a sigh.

She and her father continued to chat for another few minutes before he departed the room, leaving her be. Kagome stood to her feet and looked the dress over some more. She collected it in her hands and held it to her body, as though she were wearing it. She ran a hand down the ruffled skirt of it and faintly smiled.

'I wonder what Inuyasha would think if he saw me wearing this?' She wondered.

* * *

After a good bath and a little hair remodeling, Kagome was ready to start her day. Instead of wearing the exquisite gift she had received this morning she decided to go with one of her more humble dresses; it was a rose colored, knee-high dress; simple but stunning on her.

After eating a bit of breakfast and sneaking a few fresh buns into her satchel she was ready to depart into the forest. Slipping a pair of modest brown shoes on, she made a run for the fence. After a good look-over on the property she felt it was safe enough to climb over the barrier between she and the forest. She climbed over grabbing one wooden bar at a time and landed near to perfect on the soft earth below. Then she began to make her almost daily journey into the forest.

As she walked down the invisible pathway she began to get a very strange feeling, it made her hair stand on end, but after several seconds the feeling disappeared. She didn't pay much notice to the feeling and instead just continued walking.

As she neared the creaks scar she broke out into a run and hopped over it, just missing the edge of the other side and tripping face-first into the dirt. She hastily jumped to her feet and began to spit out the dirt that had gotten into her mouth. She could still taste the unpleasant soil in her mouth after it was all out and she peered down at her hands noticing they were slightly injured and dirty. She let out a long annoyed sigh. She wiped her hands on the skirt of her dress causing it to be soiled with dirt and blood, after letting a few curses escape her lips she continued to the clearing.

After a while she made it, which gave her a subtle sense of glee even after the events from earlier. After emerging into the clearing she made a run for the Goshinboku, a huge smile plastered on her face. She nearly tripped for the second time today but she managed to recover.

"Inuyasha!" She called out just as she reached the great tree.

Suddenly she felt something grab her satchel and pull it from her, in a moment of panic Kagome spun around and swatted at whatever it was, but it had disappeared. Bewildered Kagome began to peer around, and then she caught a glimpse of red among the pink petals of the Goshinboku. She took a step forward and peered up for a closer look.

Inuyasha had her satchel in his hand and was munching on the fresh buns Kagome had brought this morning. She smirked and put her hands on her hips.

"What do you think you're doing?" She exclaimed.

Inuyasha turned to look at her, "Oh hey Kagome, I didn't even notice you! Come up here and have some!" He said waving the satchel in the air.

Kagome climbed the tree, a little more carefully than the last time. And once she got to the top she realized that her hands were in quite a lot of pain. Examining them she realized they have been scraped and there were a few rocks protruding from her skin.

Inuyasha noticed the discomfort in her face; he looked over and frowned at her. She was about to try and pluck one of the rocks out when Inuyasha grabbed her wrist, nearly causing her to fall over! He eyed the wound.

"How'd you get hurt this time Clumsy?" He questioned.

Kagome laughed, "You know just tripped-" She winced in pain as Inuyasha used one of his claw-like nails to remove a rock.

"You should be more careful." He said sternly.

Kagome nodded and winced again as he picked out yet another rock.

Once he was finished getting out all of the tiny pebbles he escorted her to the river. The two of them sat at the water's edge and Kagome painstakingly washed the dirt out of her wound. As she did Inuyasha eyed her. He took note in how truly naturally beautiful she was, the way her dark hair flowed and was just the slightest bit curled and how it contrasted with her milky, flawless skin.

Once she was finished she looked up at him and grinned. Embarrassed he immediately looked elsewhere, an obvious blush shading his cheeks. Kagome laughed.

* * *

It was mid-afternoon now; the peaceful breeze propelled the pink petals of the Goshinboku Tree into dance. Inuyasha and Kagome lay in the emerald green grass, peacefully watching the clouds go by. Kagome sighed deeply, her mind had wandered back to the wedding and Hojo. If she were to marry Hojo she would be living in his village and would most likely never see Inuyasha again. The thought of that made her heart ache.

Inuyasha sensed Kagome's sudden discomfort; he peered at her tiny frame lying next to him. He frowned and nudged her with his arm.

"Hm?" Kagome asked turning her head to face him.

"Is something bothering you?" He questioned, his face softening.

Kagome shrugged, "It's just… I'd rather not talk about it."

His frown returned. "Kagome, tell me what's wrong?"

She turned back to facing the sky and inhaled deeply. "My parents want me to marry the neighboring village Headsman's son." She regretfully confessed.

Inuyasha's ears immediately shot back and his face changed into a whole new expression Kagome had never seen. He stood to his feet and leapt into the branches of the Goshinboku.

"Inuyasha…" She said as she also got to her feet. "It's not a big deal; trust me I'll find my way out of it."

She caught a glimpse of his Kimono as he leapt higher.

"I don't even like the guy, I've met him only a few times in my life, it's not going to happen trust me." She took a step towards the tree and still got no reply from Inuyasha. "Please don't be mad, I'm not going to accept any of the gifts he brings me anymore and I'm going to make it clear I'm not interested…"

She saw his eyes peering at her through the petals. The golden color of his eyes seemed too had intensified and she could establish he was furious.

"He brings you gifts and obviously wants to wed you, why don't you just get with the guy, bet you two would get along great and you could have little spawns of yourselves running around. Maybe even get a pet or ten." He spat and leapt to a higher branch.

Kagome's eyes began to tear up. "Fine maybe I will then." She shouted.

She immediately turned around and began to march out of the clearing. As she neared the edge she looked back and saw Inuyasha leap from the tree and dash into the woods. Angry and desolate tears began to fall from her eyes; she continued to walk back towards home.

* * *

She was a good distance from the fence now and could just make out the shape of it through the thick trees. The tears had not stopped flowing since she left the clearing and she had begun to weep. Finding a log to sit on she hunched over and cried into the skirt of her dress.

It wasn't long before she got the same feeling she had felt earlier. The hairs on her arms and back stood on end. Suddenly she looked up and fell backwards releasing a scream! Before her stood what looked like a baboon but the size of a man. It was positioned only a few feet in front of her.

"St-stay back!" She shouted.

The creature took a step forward. As Kagome gazed at it she realized that it wasn't a real baboon that was standing before her but a skin and mask of one. She attempted to get to her feet, her legs shaking exceedingly.

"I'm warning you stay back." She uttered.

Without warning she heard her mother's voice frantically calling for her in the direction of her house. She dared a look in the direction and when she looked back the creature was gone.

Kagome scrambled to her feet and bolted towards home. Before climbing the fence she made sure her mother wasn't in sight. Ascending over the barrier quickly she ran around to the front of her house and nearly ran into her Mother.

"Kagome I heard you scream are you alright!?" She questioned frantically.

Kagome was about to speak when her mother interrupted her. "Oh my Kami! Kagome your dress!" She took her daughters hands in hers, "And your hands! What happened?"

...

Kagome made up a false story that she had been chased by a wild boar and whilst she was running away she tripped. Now she was sitting in her living room, sipping a cup of warm tea. Her Mother had bandaged her hands and selected a new dress for her to wear.

"My goodness child, you need to be more careful." Her mother expressed.

Kagome ignored her Mother's worried talk and continued to watch the window and sip her tea. Suddenly a look of disbelief came to her features. As if it wasn't a bad day already she saw Hojo riding his horse down the road towards her house. He had full bags overflowing with flowers and boxes fastened to his horse's saddle.

As he got down from his horse he nearly fell off but recovered, he untied some of the bags and began to carry them to the door. Before he had the chance to knock Kagome made a run for her room and as fast as she had ever before climbed through her window.

Kagome's mother answered the door and was greeted by Hojo.

"Hello, Mrs. Higurashi. Is Kagome around by any chance?" he asked; a dazzling smile lighting up his face.

"Hojo, a pleasure as always. She was here just a minute ago, one moment. Kagome!" She called out.

Little did they know Kagome was hiding in the chicken coup. She had no desire what-so-ever to see Hojo right now. In fact, the only person she wanted to see right now was Inuyasha. She felt terrible for leaving their previous conversation the way she had. She should have just not told him. Then there was that thing she saw in the forest, it gave her the chills just imagining it.

Suddenly she heard the front door close. She peered through a small crack in the chicken coups wall and watched Hojo ride his horse away. She sighed with relief.

* * *

After a good scolding from her Mother for disappearing when she had, Kagome ate some dinner and was now sitting in her room all by her lonesome. She couldn't get the images of that baboon out of her mind. She hoped Inuyasha would be alright tonight, although she knew he could take care of himself.

She smiled at the memory from two years ago, when they had first met and he had killed the Centipede youkai. He had saved her life; if it weren't for him she would have been killed and eaten. She smiled, she was lucky to have Inuyasha.

At some point that night Kagome had dozed off…

* * *

_Inuyasha ran through the tress at an inhuman speed. He skillfully managed to dodge branches and any other obstacles that lay in his way. He finally saw the fence by Kagome's cottage; it was sitting humble where it had always been. The inside of the cottage lay in darkness; he could smell the freshly blown-out candles smoke. _

_However it may have appeared to have been a peaceful night he could sense an evil presence about, as well as a strange scent. He noticed that Kagome's bedroom window was open, and that was where the source of the scent was coming from. He leapt from the tree branches and landed soundlessly on the ground; his silver hair spreading messily around him. _

_He snuck over to her window and when he peered inside a look of horror struck his features. A baboon standing like a human stood over Kagome's sleeping form. No not a baboon, a youkai, it was wearing the skin and mask of a baboon. Suddenly it looked up at Inuyasha._

Inuyasha's eyes flicked open and he let out a hefty breath of air. The nightmare had him spooked. He sighed and rubbed his tired eyes. His hands were still shaking from the fright. Deep down he had an abysmal feeling that something was wrong.

"Kagome." He said under his breath.

Immediately and in a state of panic he began to make his way through the forest, just as he had in the dream. He made it to the cottage in no time and to his horror Kagome's window was open wide. He leapt down from the tree and rushed to the opening, his eyes immediately scanned her room for any presence that shouldn't be there.

He sighed with relief. Kagome slept soundly in her bed. He leaned against the wall of the cottage and breathed hard. Even though nothing appeared to be wrong he still had an overwhelming sense that there was something evil lurking near. He examined the surroundings of the property but found nothing.

Just to be safe he perched himself in his usual tree and watched over her for the night.

* * *

**My apologies for the shortness, will post an extra long chapter tomorrow to make up for it.**

**Next chapter coming soon! Please leave me a review and let me know what you think!**


	6. Naraku

**So, so, so, sorry I haven't updated in the longest time! I've been terribly busy with school and got terminated from my waitressing job… On the plus side now that I have no job I can update more, so woohoo! Enjoy, and again sorry!**

* * *

Kagome emerged into the clearing, her frilly blue dress danced around her from the breeze. The summer sun shone down on everything making the clearing appear all the more enchanting. She capered through the emerald green grass, a wide smile plastered on her lips. She felt like today would be a great day, she was going to apologize to Inuyasha for the argument they had, had the other day and to make up for it she had brought a peace offering of his favourite biscuits.

As she neared the Goshinboku she noticed smoke coming out from behind it; her smile disappeared into a look of concern; bewildered by what this could be coming from she ran towards it. As she peered around the enormous tree trunk she saw that a small fireplace was made. The worrisome look was then replaced by further confusion.

"Hey." Inuyasha's voice spoke behind her causing her to jump.

She spun around to face him. "Inuyasha you scared me!" She exclaimed.

Inuyasha smirked at her, "Keh, you scare too easily." He laughed.

Kagome frowned, 'Seems he got over the fight from yesterday…' She thought.

She watched him walk past her and over to the fireplace where she noticed he had a few petite fish dangling from a stick. He noticed her gazing at them.

"I got hungry. Obviously I hadn't planned on you coming here or anything…" He bluntly lied.

Kagome's face brightened and she giggled.

Inuyasha frowned at her. "What're you laughing at?" He questioned.

She continued to giggle, "Nothing, nothing."

He shook his head at her, and then his eyes fell upon her satchel. Every time she came to the clearing with the satchel equipped she had something delightful in it.

She noticed his not-so-subtle staring at it and smiling she handed it to him. Immediately he reached into it and found his prize without delay.

After scoffing down the biscuits Inuyasha started to roast the pint-sized fish over the flames of the fire.

* * *

At some point during their quiet cooking session storm clouds had begun to drift overhead. A loud clap of thunder broke the silence and caused Kagome to release a small scream. Kagome took a second to come into realization that she had relocated to Inuyasha's side. The two of them looked at each other, their faces both holding a blazing red blush.

Kagome quickly skidded away from him, "I-I'm sorry." She apologized quickly turning away.

Inuyasha also hastily turned his gaze elsewhere. "I-it's fine." He said quietly.

An awkward silence promptly took over. The sky was substantially dark considering it was still early in the afternoon; the dark clouds had completely engulfed the sun.

Kagome took a peek over her shoulder; Inuyasha was sitting cross-legged in front of the fire. The flames reflected off of his eyes making them appear as though they were glowing crimson. He turned one of the sticks flipping the fish onto its other side so it could evenly cook. She turned her gaze back to the surroundings that lay in front of her.

Suddenly a drop of rain protruded from the sky and struck her right in the nose. She wiped it away with her hand then without warning felt more drops coming down. Inuyasha turned to look at her; he was close enough to the trunk of the tree to be sheltered from the rain. A smirk grazed his features as he watched her swatting the falling drops.

She heard him release a laugh and turned to meet his gaze; he had a wide smile on his face and was giggling uncontrollably. She hadn't seen this side of him before, it caused her to start to smile too.

"You idiot come over here so you don't get all wet." He spoke, still grinning.

Kagome stood to her feet, her hair had become fairly damp as of now and rain water was dripping off the ends. She positioned herself to the right of Inuyasha, at a comfortable distance. She pulled her knees to her chest and hugged them close to her.

"Here." Inuyasha uttered handing her a tad over-cooked fish on a stick.

She took it and smelt it, it smelt surprisingly good! She had no idea Inuyasha could cook. Without thinking she took a tiny bite from it and burnt her tongue, causing her to cry out and nearly drop the stick.

Inuyasha looked at her and shook his head, "idgit." He said under his breath a smile breaking out.

Kagome smiled at him and let out a laugh. Then the two of them broke out into laughter, after a while Kagome forgot why she was laughing; she was just happy hearing Inuyasha's laughter, it was a rare occasion after all.

Suddenly Inuyasha's face became serious and his ears shot back. Kagome gazed at him perplexed; he stood to his feet and bared his teeth. "Get behind me Kagome." He ordered.

Kagome peered over her shoulder and distinguished the baboon from the day before; in a moment of total terror she hastily got to her feet and ran behind Inuyasha. Her heart began to pound as she got a terrible feeling.

The youkai took a step forward; it let out a deep cackle.

"Who are you?" Inuyasha questioned, a growl erupting from his throat.

"Call me Naraku." The Youkai replied, in an eerily slow way.

Kagome grabbed onto the back of Inuyasha's kimono, and peered over his shoulder.

This 'Naraku' character turned his attention over towards Kagome; she could feel his eyes on her. Inuyasha could sense Kagome's fear and pushed her directly behind him and out of Naraku's sight.

"What do you want?" Inuyasha asked, his eyebrows furrowing.

Naraku laughed, "In good time, Inuyasha." He replied before taking one last long look over Kagome and then leaping backwards into the trees and out of sight.

Inuyasha cursed under his breath, "How does he know my name?" He uttered.

Kagome stared at the area where Naraku had disappeared into. She couldn't help but get a really dreadful feeling about all of this, and his name… It seemed so familiar, like she had heard it before…

* * *

After the incident with Naraku Inuyasha thought it was best to take Kagome home. He escorted her back to her cottage, when the coast was clear the two of them made a run for Kagome's window.

"Inuyasha I'm afraid." Kagome grabbed onto his kimono before he could turn and leave.

"I know, don't worry I'll be watching from the tree line. I won't let anything happen to you." He assured.

Kagome nodded. She looked down and stared at her feet; Inuyasha's clawed hand gently took her chin and tipped her head back up towards his face. Looking into his gentle golden eyes her heart skipped a beat, "Hey, I told you I will protect you. So stop worrying." He promised.

Kagome nodded, she released his kimono and watched as he departed into the forest. He leapt into a tree within her sights. She felt a tinge of relief building up in her knowing he was watching over her. She climbed through the small crevasse of her window.

* * *

Kagome departed from her bedroom and walked into the kitchen. Her mother was sitting by the hearth patching a pair of Sota's trousers.

"Oh Kagome, where have you been? I was worried when the weather started to get bad, I tried to call out for you but you didn't reply." Her Mother asked.

Kagome plastered a fake smile onto her features, "I went for a walk into the village, I'm sorry to have worried you."

Her mother's features softened. "It's alright, just let me know next time, please."

Kagome nodded to her, she took a slice of freshly baked bread, back into her room with her. She positioned herself next to the window, peering out into the falling rain.

She knew Inuyasha was watching over her and it made her feel a lot safer. She slowly nibbled on the bread and kept her eyes in the direction of the forest. When she started to feel drowsy she lay her head down on the pillow and continued to think about what had happened today.

Before she knew it she had finished her bread and dozed off.

* * *

Kagome was awoken by her Mother's gentle voice in her ears, "Kagome today we have something special planned for you. Time to get up." She spoke gently.

"Mmmmm…" Kagome mumbled, slowly stirring.

She heard the sound of her mother rummaging through her dresser; slowly and wearily she unsealed her eyes. Her Mother was holding the dress that Hojo had given kagome as a gift, now Kagome's attention was caught.

She bolted up, "What're you doing?" She asked.

Her mother laughed, "You need to get up and get yourself cleaned up, and we're going into the neighboring village to formally meet Hojo and his family." She smiled.

Kagome had to hide the fact she was completely against this, she smiled, "Lovely."

…

Kagome's hair was curled and cleaned to the point it was shining. Her mother had forced lipstick onto her and she was clad in the brilliant gown Hojo had gifted her as well as the dazzling shoes. Her mother had also required her to wear a corset under the gown as an extra factor. Kagome although her discomfort looked exquisite.

Her mother backed away and gazed over her handy-work. "My goodness Kagome you look beautiful!" She sang.

Kagome half smiled, she ran her hands down the fabric of the dress and blew a strand of hair out of her face. Looking at her features one could tell she was utterly unimpressed.

Her ribs ached from the corset as she painstakingly walked; her father helped her onto one of the horses. To her surprise her father was also looking quite handsome; he was dressed in formal clothes. Her Mother walked out of the house, also dressed formally, she looked beautiful; her hair was done up nicely and she wore a simple yet beautiful gown similar to Kagome's but less flashy.

Kagome broke out into laughter (Which made her chest ache due to the tight corset) as her brother Sota emerged from the house, he looked absolutely adorable in his clothes and his hair was styled properly to the side. He noticed her laughing and shot her a 'I'm going to kill you' look.

The family looked like a proper rich bunch; which would surely impress Hojo's wealthy family.

As Kagome's horse followed her fathers at a trot, she peered back into the trees behind the cottage. 'Inuyasha…' She thought.

* * *

Inuyasha had awoken to Kagome's laughter off in the distance a short ways away. He perched from his branch on the tree and peered off into the distance locating the exact place her beautiful laughter was coming from than effortlessly leapt from branch to branch till he was close enough to see the scene below.

Kagome and her family were riding away on horseback. He crept back into the brush as he caught Kagome peering back in his direction. He furrowed his brows and cursed, he couldn't leave her alone with that Naraku villain watching them. He sighed; he would have no choice but to follow her.

_Later…_

Inuyasha stayed back a ways as he followed behind the family, lucky for him their horses were slow, but the downside to that was he had grown excruciatingly bored. It had been two hours now and it didn't seem like they were getting any closer to wherever they were headed.

Having time to spare he figure he would climb up into the tree tops and peer around to see if he could catch any glimpses of where they were going. He climbed the nearest tall tree and leapt right to the top branch, to his relief he could see smoke not too far off.

Climbing back down the tree he effortlessly caught back up to the horses, staying hidden of course.

* * *

Kagome's father called out "We're here!" This caused her to jump a little. She peered ahead as the village's tall walls came into view. Her heart began to beat fast and she internally released curses right up until they got to the wall.

She peered up into the two towers on either side of the gate to the village, two men stood in either side looking them over.

"Ah Mr. Higurashi, the headsman is expecting you, come on through." One of the men hollered waving them in.

Kagome's father did a little thank you nod towards him.

The village was massive, and very, very busy. The streets were packed with horses, carriages and people. Kagome had seen this village once before as a child but did not remember it like this. Market stands lined the streets and small to large buildings were crowded together. Kagome contemplated what it would be like living here day-to-day and concluded she would much rather live in her current village, this was all so… overwhelming.

They continued through the village all the while people running up to them trying to offer them clothes and food, she watched as her father just smiled and politely told them no. She wondered how he could remain so calm. It wasn't long before they arrived at a huge mansion; it was at least twenty of Kagome's cottages put together!

She was in complete awe looking over it. Her father halted the horses and then descended from his, he then helped Kagome's mother off of her horse before helping Kagome down from hers. Kagome's stomach felt like it had twisted into knots, she gulped.

"I'll let the headsman know we've arrived." Her father alerted them before entering the mansion.

Kagome waited in anticipation before she saw her father return, and then behind him emerged an older handsome man with dark hair who looked like an older Hojo; beside him came Hojo himself.

Hojo waltzed up to Kagome and took her hand laying a delicate kiss on it. Kagome's cheeks turned utterly red. He then led her by the same hand to his father.

"Father this is Kagome. Kagome this is my Father." Hojo introduced the two with a wide dazzling grin across his face.

"Nice to meet you." Kagome uttered nervously, giving a little bow.

Hojo's father smiled a handsome smile at her, "No need for the formality after all we'll be family soon right!" He laughed.

Kagome's heart stopped in her chest and she strained from keeping herself falling over.

Hojo let out a hearty laugh, "Oh Dad she hasn't said yes as of yet."

Hojo's father raised a brow, "Well what's keeping you from asking her when I was your age girls were falling all around me begging for me to ask them to marry me!"

Hojo let out an awkward laugh.

"Oh well all in good time I suppose, anyways please come inside!" His father settled.

Kagome half-smiled and was led inside by Hojo while her family remained outside for a moment chatting with Hojo's father.

Hojo laughed, "Sorry about that…"

Kagome blushed deeply, "its fine… "

…

Hojo had led Kagome to their dining room, which was glorious! The whole inside was decorated with antique scrolls and artwork, the two of them sat at the head of the table side-by-side. It wasn't long before the rest of Kagome's family and Hojo's father joined them.

"So Kagome, what kinds of things are you interested in?" Hojo's father asked, breaking the silence that had shortly filled the room.

Kagome took a sip of her tea before saying, "Well, I enjoy…" She took a moment to think and noticed her mother's glare at her. "I enjoy sewing… and horseback riding, cooking, cleaning, that kind of thing…" She bluntly lied.

Hojo's father slapped him on the back, "Oh ho! Sounds like you two are a perfect match. Speaking of which Hojo, now that you two are here don't you have something to ask the young lady?"

Hojo nearing sprayed his mouthful of tea all over everything, "Uhm well I was going to wait until later…"

"No, no, don't be shy we've all been waiting for this!"

Hojo turned towards Kagome, his face a bright red. He scratched the back of his head awkwardly, and then his eyes flicked up to meet Kagome's which made her heart skip a beat. "I… Uhm…"

"Come on boy!" Hojo's father yelled.

"Will… Will you marry me?" Hojo finally asked.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed that chapter, the next one will for sure at some point come out before Friday! Please leave a review and let me know what you thought!**


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